Captain Newman, M.D. Blu-ray Movie

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Captain Newman, M.D. Blu-ray Movie United States

Kino Lorber | 1963 | 126 min | Not rated | Jan 05, 2021

Captain Newman, M.D. (Blu-ray Movie)

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Movie rating

6.8
 / 10

Blu-ray rating

Users0.0 of 50.0
Reviewer3.0 of 53.0
Overall3.0 of 53.0

Overview

Captain Newman, M.D. (1963)

In 1944, Capt. Josiah J. Newman is the doctor in charge of Ward 7, the neuropsychiatric ward, at an Army Air Corps hospital in Arizona. The hospital is under-resourced and Newman scrounges what he needs with the help of his inventive staff, especially Cpl. Jake Leibowitz. The military in general is only just coming to accept psychiatric disorders as legitimate and Newman generally has 6 weeks to cure them or send them on to another facility. There are many patients in the ward and his latest include Colonel Norville Bliss who has dissociated from his past; Capt. Paul Winston who is nearly catatonic after spending 13 months hiding in a cellar behind enemy lines; and 20 year-old Cpl. Jim Tompkins who is severely traumatized after his aircraft was shot down. Others come and go, including Italian prisoners of war, but Newman and team all realize that their success means the men will return to their units and combat.

Starring: Gregory Peck, Tony Curtis, Angie Dickinson, Eddie Albert, James Gregory (I)
Director: David Miller (I)

War100%
DramaInsignificant
ComedyInsignificant

Specifications

  • Video

    Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
    Video resolution: 1080p
    Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
    Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

  • Audio

    English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono

  • Subtitles

    English

  • Discs

    Blu-ray Disc
    Single disc (1 BD)

  • Playback

    Region A (C untested)

Review

Rating summary

Movie3.0 of 53.0
Video3.0 of 53.0
Audio3.0 of 53.0
Extras3.0 of 53.0
Overall3.0 of 53.0

Captain Newman, M.D. Blu-ray Movie Review

Featuring a first-rate performance by Gregory Peck.

Reviewed by Neil Lumbard February 27, 2021

Captain Newman, M.D. is a war-time drama based on the novel by Leo Rosten. The film stars Gregory Peck (To Kill a Mockingbird). Produced by Robert Arthur (Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Buccaneer's Girl), Captain Newman, M.D. was a critical success upon release in 1963 and became nominated at the Academy Awards for three Oscars: Best Supporting Actor (Darin), Best Sound (Waldon O. Watson), and Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay) for Richard L. Breen, Phoebe Ephron, and Henry Ephron. An intriguing character-drive piece, Captain Newman, M.D. is worth a watch.

The story of Captain Newman, M.D. explores the ins and outs of a military hospital psychiatric ward during World War II. Captain Newman (Gregory Peck) works diligently in his attempts to help cure patients in the psychiatric ward who were affected by the war – struggling to cope with their minds. Newman uses a unique sense of compassion to try and reach through to his patients. Can Newman rescue these lost souls from their internal abyss?

At the heart of Captain Newman, M.D. is the performance by Gregory Peck. Peck's performance is one that makes the entire film more worthwhile. There is a sense of grace and sophistication to Peck and he brings forth the best from both the screenplay and the production. While a lesser performer might have made the filmmaking seem trite or mundane in comparison, Peck excels in the lead role and adds some star power. Another performance of note is the supporting performance by Bobby Darin. Nominated at the Academy Awards, Darin delivers an impressive performance which showcases subtle nuance and depth.

"Where is my Oscar nom?"


The cinematography by Russell Metty (Spartacus, The Omega Man) is respectable and manages to enhance the filmmaking to a degree. While not the finest hour for Metty, Captain Newman, M.D., nonetheless, the film has some interesting visuals. The style is grounded in reality more-so than Hollywood productions sometimes achieve.

One element of the film that made a mark was the music score composed by Frank Skinner (Arabian Nights, The House of the Seven Gables). The original score adds a sense of dramatic flair to events within the story. The characters seem to be enlivened with dramatic themes. The score never swells with energy like one would find in an action-adventure movie, but the dramatic-backbone of the filmmaking is given subtle nuance through the compositions of Skinner. It makes for a uniquely compelling component of the production.

The editing by Alma Macrorie (The Trouble with Harry, To Each His Own) is one of the disappointing elements of the overall production. Though Alma Macrorie has done a fantastic job editing other films, Captain Newman, M.D. is over-long at times and seems like it lacks perfect focus. The film has good components but it could have used some extra trimming of fat. The cut simply isn't as lean as desired and could perhaps have benefited from being 15-20 minutes shorter.

Featuring art direction by Alexander Golitzen (Foreign Correspondent, Touch of Evil) and Alfred Sweeney (The Tarnished Angels, Moment to Moment), Captain Newman, M.D. excels in this department. The sets and locations are well suited to the storyline. There is a sense of genuine believably to the production aesthetics which seems to add to the war-time flavor of the story. Impressive.

The screenplay by Richard L. Breen (A Foreign Affair, State Fair), Phoebe Ephron (There's No Business Like Show Business, Daddy Long Legs), and Henry Ephron (What Price Glory, Belles on Their Toes) is one of the strong points of the film. The dialogue is well-written and seems genuine. These characters are given some depth. It is understandable why the film was nominated for the Academy Award: the character-dialogue is reason enough to understand. The story is compelling throughout (even if it sometimes feels dated by modern standards).

Directed by David Miller (Midnight Lace, Twist of Fate), Captain Newman, M.D. is worth checking out. The direction is old-fashioned in a compelling way. Sequences are explored through a unique creative lens. Miller brings forth solid performances (especially from Peck and Darin). Though I sometimes found the editing to feel a little bit uneven (and Miller could have reigned in the whole production a little bit more), there is plenty to like about Captain Newman, M.D. and the story it tells.




Captain Newman, M.D. Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality  3.0 of 5

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Captain Newman, M.D. is presented in1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The scan looks rather dated by modern standards. The film could have used a sparkling new 4K restoration. The presentation lacks the kind of finesse one would hope to see for a film with so many Oscar noms underneath its belt. Color reproduction seems acceptable but never exceptional. The print shows occasional wear and could look a bit more robust at times. There aren't any moments of egregious damage to the print (such as tears, warps, and other serious deficiencies) but it's also an average-at-best presentation at times.


Captain Newman, M.D. Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality  3.0 of 5

The release is presented in DTS HD Master Audio mono. The lossless audio track is acceptable for the presentation. Dialogue remains clear and easy to understand. Fidelity sounds a bit less robust than one might hope to find and it could have used some extra restoration. Even so, Captain Newman, M.D. is never too garish sounding and the track doesn't have any significant issues to report (such as warps, pops, clicks, and hiss).

Optional English subtitles are provided.


Captain Newman, M.D. Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras  3.0 of 5

Audio Commentary by Film Historian Samm Deighan

Captain Newman, M.D. Theatrical Trailer (SD, 2:20)

The release also includes a selection of trailers promoting other releases available from distributor Kino Lorber: On the Beach (SD, 4:46), Night People (HD, 2:49), The Great Imposter (SD, 2:26), The Perfect Furlough (SD, 2:37), The Art of Love (HD, 2:47), Sam Whiskey (HD, 2:25), Midnight Lace (SD, 2:43), and Lonely Are the Brave (SD, 00:54).


Captain Newman, M.D. Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation  3.0 of 5

Captain Newman, M.D. features strong performances by Gregory Peck and Bobby Darin. These stirring performances are reason enough to see the film. The war-time drama unfolds with a unique approach to telling this complex tale. Though the Blu-ray release features an average video-audio presentation and it could have benefited from more restoration efforts, it is still certainly watchable. Fans of Captain Newman, M.D. should consider a purchase. Recommended.